Consequences

ALEKSANDR

The moment we arrived at Azure, Xavier, Marco’s right-hand man, was there to greet me at the top of the VIP stairs. However, there was no sign of the women.

Kir had phoned me just ten minutes prior, informing me that a man dressed in black had attacked Kaia on her way to the restroom. She had screamed, alerting them to the situation. The man had somehow managed to escape, but I was confident that Niko and Marco’s men would be reviewing the security footage to identify him.

Once they did, he was ~mine~. A familiar rage bubbled up within me. The sheer audacity of someone thinking they could take what was mine and live to tell the tale was laughable.

Everyone knew my response to such audacity was always revenge. Xavier eyed me cautiously, but there was no hiding the dark look on my face that signaled impending doom for my enemies.

“~Where is she~?”

Kir emerged from the corridor to answer, his face etched with concern.

“She’s in the bathroom, sick to her stomach, with the other girls,” he said tersely.

“Is she okay?” I had already asked him this question twice over the phone, but I needed to hear it again.

“She’s shaken, but she wasn’t physically hurt,” Kir reassured me. “I don’t think he intended to harm her, just kidnap her.”

His words did little to ease my worry. I nodded curtly at him before issuing orders.

“Niko is in the security room going over the footage. Maybe you can help him identify our attacker,” I said.

“Yes, pakhan,” Kir responded, and then he was gone.

I brushed past Xavier and made a beeline for the bathrooms, needing to see Kaia with my own eyes. Without knocking or hesitating, I pushed open the door, causing three of the four girls to jump in surprise.

“Aleks!” Stasya left Kaia by the sink, where she was splashing water on her face, while Anya fixed her hair and Lia stood by with a towel.

I shot Stasya a glare, and she froze, looking remorseful.

“Aleks, I’m sorry. I didn’t know—”

I raised my hand, cutting her off.

“Not another word. We’ll talk later,” I said icily, before turning to the other women. “I need to speak with Kaia. Alone.”

Stasya’s eyes widened at my tone, then her face fell as she exited the bathroom.

I noticed Anya’s disapproving look and the protective way she held Kaia. I raised an eyebrow in mock surprise, even as my anger flared.

“Do you think I’m going to hurt her?” I asked her.

Anya released Kaia and approached me, her arms crossed over her chest.

“I think Kaia needs to go home and rest. You can question her tomorrow when she’s feeling better, Aleksandr,” she said.

“She wouldn’t be feeling like this if you hadn’t let her drink so much,” I retorted, glaring at her. But Anya, being Don Marco’s wife, wasn’t easily intimidated.

“Enough, Aleksandr,” Kaia interjected, her voice shaky but firm. “I’m an adult. I made my own choices.”

She finally looked up and met my gaze in the mirror. Her eyes were glassy and tired, but she didn’t back down.

“I’ll be okay,” she said softly, giving the other girls a grateful smile.

Lia and Anya shot me disapproving looks as they left the bathroom, leaving Kaia and me alone.

“Look at me.”

Her shoulders tensed, then squared as she turned to face me. She was dressed in a gold outfit that hugged her curves, and her makeup was designed to attract attention.

I had no doubt that my troublemaking sister was behind this attempt to drive me mad. The makeup that had concealed my marks on her skin was smeared, revealing the perfect shade of purple that I was determined to spread across her body.

In other words, she looked fucking stunning, which only fueled my anger as I thought about all the men who had seen her tonight when I couldn’t.

Her eyes met mine bravely, and my desire for her was palpable. I closed the distance between us in two quick steps, bending down to gently grasp her chin in my hand.

My grip was firm, just enough to convey the gravity of the situation, but not enough to cause her pain.

“Do you realize how dangerously you behaved tonight?”

Her lips quivered and fresh tears welled up in her eyes, but she remained silent. She understood.

“You were nearly abducted. No one would have realized until it was too late.” I watched as the tears trickled down her cheeks, pushing her further into fear.

She needed to understand the severity of her actions, so she wouldn’t put me through this kind of terror again.

“You’re aware of what happens to girls who get kidnapped, aren’t you? You’ve seen the horrors at your father’s estate.”

She gasped at my words, then forcefully knocked my hand away from her chin.

“I get it, okay? It was a dumb move. I was just trying to get back at you for duping me into signing that ridiculous contract,” she retorted.

I leaned in closer, our lips almost touching.

“And you’ve never deceived me, kotik?” I whispered.

Her body tensed subtly, a reaction so slight I almost missed it. But I was so in tune with her, I didn’t miss a thing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stammered.

I lightly tapped her lying lips with my finger.

“Really?” I taunted. “So you saved Santiago at Cristo’s house purely out of kindness?”

Her lips parted in surprise.

“You told Lia that you wanted me there. That you needed me.”

“I needed you to find my sister, I told you that!” she yelled back at me. But her voice lacked anger.

“There’s more you’re not sharing with me, kotik. But don’t worry, I’ll enjoy prying your secrets from you. I’m sure you’ll even find my methods of extraction pleasurable.”

“Go to hell, Aleksandr,” she muttered, wiping her tear-streaked cheeks.

I simply smiled, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. I needed to touch her.

But then I saw the worry in her eyes, and my smile faded as quickly as it had appeared.

“Did you get a look at him? The man who tried to abduct you?”

She bit her lower lip, her eyes avoiding mine as she shook her head.

I frowned at her evasive gesture.

“Are you certain?” I pressed. “Eye color? Tattoos? Anything at all?”

Kaia shrugged.

“It all happened so quickly, and I’d been drinking. I really don’t remember.”

I nodded, pretending to accept her answer before fixing her with a stern gaze.

“I underestimated you tonight, kotik. It won’t happen again,” I assured her, taking her hand in mine.

“Let’s go.”